ENGLAND duly won the first T20 of the three-match international series at Malahide yesterday, their experienced batters feasting on an understrength Ireland bowling attack.

Despite the four-wicket defeat with 14 balls to spare, it was a heartening display by the home side, who found a few heroes on a difficult day.

An overnight deluge may have dissuaded the crowds, but around 3,000 spectators enjoyed some late summer sun a fortnight after the domestic season ended.

Leinster all-rounder Gareth Delany was presented with a special cap to mark his 100th game for Ireland, 79 of which have been in T20s. He and his sister Laura (234 caps) join the Joyces (Ed 151, Cecilia 133, Isobel 168) as the only siblings to reach that landmark for both Ireland sides.

Jacob Bethell called correctly at his first toss and opted to field, but Stirling got the crowd moving with a four off the second ball from Wood. A cracking four by Adair off Overton next over got him up and running too.

Adair struggled with his timing early on, but accumulated steadily before feasting on Overton in the last over of the powerplay. Ireland helped themselves to 17, with Adair hitting a six and two fours.

Their fifty partnership came off the first ball of the next over, Stirling greeting Rashid with a six back over his head.

The veteran spinner is a rare bird in T20, an attacking wicket-taking bowler, and he frequently looked dangerous, although Ireland’s batters hit him for six in each of his four overs.

Ross Adair was first to go, caught at midwicket by Phil Salt off Liam Dawson for 26. Stirling was in belligerent mood, hitting 34 off 22 balls before he was caught at long on by Will Jacks off Rashid attempting his fifth six. Ireland’s skipper has now hit just one fifty in his last 25 matches and will be keen to halt that run soon.

The openers’ departure on 67-2 brought together Tucker and Tector, and the Pembroke pair took control. A deft four run down to third brought up Tucker’s 3,000 international runs in all formats for Ireland when he had made eight.

The pair took everything on offer, Tucker smashing Rashid into the crowd off a high full toss that the umpire failed to penalise further.

The England spinner thought he had Tucker lbw with the score on 114, which the umpire agreed with, but the Irishman instantly signalled for a review. Sure enough, the camera showed that the ball would have missed the off bail.

It has been 18 matches since Tector made a T20 fifty, but he seems freed by his move up from 4 to 3 in the order and duly passed the landmark off 31 balls. He clearly loves Malahide, the venue for his maiden fifty and century for Ireland, and Ireland supporters will be delighted if his long barren spell is at an end.

The pair went on to record a partnership of 123, easily Ireland’s best for the third wicket and the first century stand against England.

Tucker brought up his own 50 with a straight six onto the corporate tent before edging a short ball to Buttler behind the stumps off the second last ball of the innings. That gave George Dockrell the chance of a glorious cameo, which he accepted by lifting the only ball he faced into the middle of the large contingent of English spectators, Ireland’s 12th six of the innings.

It brought Ireland’s score to 196-3, the second highest total at home against a full member, behind only the 222-6 they made against India on the same ground in 2022. They lost that one too, by four runs.

England came after the Irish bowlers with typical ferocity, Salt and Jos Buttler showing why they are feared the world over. After Matthew Humphreys’ relatively tidy first over, the England pair hit nine boundaries off the next ten balls, Salt taking most of the 19 Barry McCarthy conceded before Buttler hit Graham Hume to all parts, scoring 22.

England had made 74 off just 27 balls when Humphreys slower ball deceived Buttler whose mistimed skyer was held by Campher. The former England captain made 28 off 10 balls.

Buttler’s successor, Jacob Bethell, continued to score at a lick before he was excellently caught at extra cover by Ross Adair for 24.

There was warm applause for Delany, who had suffered a grievous series of injuries just three months ago. His first delivery was caught at third but the umpires couldn’t be sure it had not hit the grass as Hume caught it. Two balls later Delany hit Rehan Ahmed’s middle stump after the batsman left a gap as wide as Malahide main street, but Salt ruined an exceptional first over with a six off the final ball.

Craig Young bowled with his usual heart and skill, and his reward was the least expensive over, costing just four runs.

Hume returned and saw his first two legal deliveries fly for six, but he persevered and picked up Sam Curran (27) and Salt (89) to outfield catches, leaving him with figures of 2-0-36-2.

England’s middle order all tried to finish it quickly, giving Ireland’s bowlers a chance to burnish their figures, Humphreys ending with 2-44.